While it has been an open secret for several years that Donald Trump was once a heavy Democratic donor, a deeper analysis of campaign records shows that the real estate billionaire’s contributions skewed even further left during the 2006 mid-term election, the crucial contest that put Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi in power and arguably helped pave the way for Barack Obama’s political agenda.Between 1989 and 2010, The Donald gave $314,300 to Democratic groups and candidates and $290,600 to Republicans, according to a Daily Caller analysis of records maintained by the Center for Responsive Politics.

But Trump’s donation gap was even larger during the mid-2000s, which saw the end of Republican congressional majorities and the ascendance of the Democratic party.

Overall in the 2006 election cycle, Trump and his son, Donald Trump Jr., donated $77,200 to Democrats versus only $24,250 on Republicans. Looking back to the 2004 cycle, the pair donated $40,500 to Democrats and only $17,250 to the GOP.

A large share of Trump’s donations to Democrats were given to congressional committees dedicated specifically to gaining majority control of Congress. And that they did. Democrats took control of both houses of Congress for the first time since 1994 by gaining 31 seats in the House and increasing the Democratic caucus in the Senate by six.

Records show that in June 2006, Trump donated $20,000 to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. That was in addition to the $5,000 he sent in April 2005 to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. At the same time, Trump Jr. gave the two Democratic committees a total of $22,500.

While the Trumps spent nearly $50,000 to elect congressional Democrats, they donated only $1,000 to the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRSC).

But perhaps the worst outcome that election for Republicans was that Pelosi and Reid became Speaker of the House and Senate Majority Leader, respectively. The pair made a formidable team and did heavy lifting to ensure that Obama was elected in 2008 and that much of his agenda — including Obamacare — was put in place.

If Trump does choose to run — a decision on which he will announce on June 16 — he’ll face a field of 15-plus Republican hopefuls. He’ll also be fighting almost immediately for the life of his campaign. The Republican National Committee has changed its rules this cycle by limiting party debates to the top 10 hopefuls in the polls. The party is taking the unprecedented move in order to limit exposure to dark horse candidates.

Trump finished eighth in a Quinnipiac poll released last week. The first debate will be held Aug. 6 and will be hosted by Fox News.If Trump makes that debate stage and if he becomes a big enough threat to primary front-runners — former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker — his past support the GOP’s mortal political foes will almost certainly become the topic of debate.

Topping the flamboyant former TV celebrity’s roster of Democratic benefactors is scandal-plagued New York U.S. Rep. Charlie Rangel. Records show the Harlem-based Democrat has received $26,250 in Trump cash since 1989. Trump Jr., has given heavily to Rangel as well.

New York Sens. Kristen Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer have received $7,950 and $7,900, respectively, in Trump money. And two liberal lions, former Massachusetts Sens. John Kerry and Ted Kennedy, received $5,500 and $5,000.

Trump also arguably helped enable Obamacare in another way — albeit before the health law was a twinkle in any liberal’s eye. Trump supported two of its most ardent supporters in Reid and New York U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner. He donated $7,400 to the Nevada Democrat. Among those contributions is $2,400 Trump gave Reid ahead of his contentious 2010 run against Sharron Angle, a tea party favorite.

Trump also gave $4,300 to Weiner, a dogged supporter of Obamacare who was forced to resign his seat following a sexting scandal.
Since its passage, Trump has called Obamacare “a filthy lie” and said that it would shut down the country. Though Obamacare was not on the radar when Trump made his donations, Democrats have long sought centralized control of the American health care system.But perhaps most damaging to Trump’s campaign — if he chooses to embark on one — is the money he’s given to Hillary Clinton and other Clinton family endeavors. Trump donated more than $4,100 to the likely Democratic nominee in 2002, 2005, 2006 and 2007, records show. Trump Jr. gave the former first lady $6,100 in 2006 and 2007.

Those donations pale in comparison to other support Trump has given the Clinton empire. It was recently revealed that he gifted the Clinton Foundation at least $100,000, according to the Clinton Foundation website. The always outspoken Trump defended the donation, saying that the Clintons “kissed [his] ass” for the dough.

Trump’s donations to high-profile Democrats isn’t limited to those on the national stage. Not included in the Center for Responsive Politics’ database is a $50,000 contribution Trump gave in December 2010 to former Bill Clinton and Obama White House official Rahm Emanuel for his successful Chicago mayoral bid.

Perhaps atoning for what many Republican primary voters will consider to be grave political sins — donating to Reid, Clinton, and Schumer, who has been tapped to lead Senate Democrats when Reid retires — Trump has contributed $358,700 exclusively to Republicans since 2011, mostly in large-dollar donations to political action committees.

It was around that time that Trump became a vocal critic of Obama’s and began seeking information about his birth certificate. The aggressive approach helped win Trump solid support among some conservatives.

Before 2011, Trump’s $290,600 in donations to Republicans went to a smattering of candidates, many of whom were from his home state of New York.

Records show Trump contributed $8,600 to Arizona Sen. John McCain, mostly for his 2008 presidential run. His second-biggest GOP benefactor wasn’t exactly a conservative stalwart. Former Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter received $8,300 from Trump between 1989 and 2008 — the year before Specter switched parties.

In 2010, Trump, who was a registered Democrat between 2001 and 2008, gave $50,000 to the Karl Rove-backed super PAC, American Crossroads. In 2012 he gave $100,000 to the Congressional Leadership Fund, a super PAC aimed at getting Republicans elected to the House.

This quote from the article on Trumps contributions: "While it has been an open secret for several years that Donald Trump was once a heavy Democratic donor, a deeper analysis of campaign records shows that the real estate billionaire’s contributions skewed even further left during the 2006 mid-term election, the crucial contest that put Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi in power and arguably helped pave the way for Barack Obama’s political agenda...."

Information like this seems to raise many more questions than it answers. Often business men are subjected to extortion from politicians and Trump may have found it necessary to contribute to Democrats to avoid obstructions to his Real Estate developments—maybe. Of course if that were true he could not say that in public. But it is disturbing that he was a registered Democrat between 2001 and 2008. He may have had a political change of mind and become a Republican.

But all of these revelations do make one suspicious of Trump. If elected will he be true to what he has been saying?

I am still angry and suspicious of him because he said the Confederate battle flag should come down in South Carolina. With that statement he legitimized the idea that the flag is a bad thing. And South Carolina was the precursor to the all out war on all things Confederate—everywhere. Does Trump agree with these latter events? Perhaps not but maybe yes; he hasn’t said. But certainly his statement added fuel to the fire.

This quote from the article on Trumps contributions: "While it has been an open secret for several years that Donald Trump was once a heavy Democratic donor, a deeper analysis of campaign records shows that the real estate billionaire’s contributions skewed even further left during the 2006 mid-term election, the crucial contest that put Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi in power and arguably helped pave the way for Barack Obama’s political agenda...."

Information like this seems to raise many more questions than it answers. Often business men are subjected to extortion from politicians and Trump may have found it necessary to contribute to Democrats to avoid obstructions to his Real Estate developments—maybe. Of course if that were true he could not say that in public. But it is disturbing that he was a registered Democrat between 2001 and 2008. He may have had a political change of mind and become a Republican.

But all of these revelations do make one suspicious of Trump. If elected will he be true to what he has been saying?

I am still angry and suspicious of him because he said the Confederate battle flag should come down in South Carolina. With that statement he legitimized the idea that the flag is a bad thing. And South Carolina was the precursor to the all out war on all things Confederate—everywhere. Does Trump agree with these latter events? Perhaps not but maybe yes; he hasn’t said. But certainly his statement added fuel to the fire.

Not so bad imo csarbww. Most voters I think actually are in the middle agreeing with some things on the Dem side and some things on the Rep side. That's where I am and most of my friends. I won't ever just support a party blindly because I'm a Rep or a Dem but look at the choices given and pick whichever is more lined with what I want. Sometimes you have a POS Dem like Reid and it would be better to give to the Rep opponent and other times you have a loon nutcase like Boehner which it would be better to support the Dem possibly.

This is why I actually see Trump as the right choice. He's middle of the road being conservative on some issues and liberal on others which is what most voters are. However most politicians these days post a very polarized view that is very hard to relate with and hard to trust because who really is All or Nothing mentality?

For me I tend to naturally side a little more Dem then Rep on classic ideals. But in what is going on today most tend to think I must be some extreme right winger because I want immigration limited big when unemployment is high, want illegal aliens gone, want welfare to only support those who can't work, and I want a stop to all this racist BS the left keeps claiming falsely.

As an Independent no way he would win as their would be a GOP nominee which would then be stealing to much of the vote needed for Trump to win. Bush will have his 15% followers no matter what if he's in the race and as things are now usually a close race it can't be afforded.

I'll give you Trump is very much about his ego but is Obama, Bush, Clinton any better? The ones with a chance to win are those with big power already trying to gain a lot more. I still see no choice besides Trump with any chance.

Trump is also playing the tunes just as I predicted a good candidate would as well. He speaks hard and harsh words and doesn't make his statements politically correct. That right there is a big plus to me. Plus his latest statement that he finds it impractical to deport all illegal aliens and would work towards a path for ONLY those who work hard and don't mooch the system and those who do and also are criminals will be deported for sure. Just what I would expect a good candidate to say knowing full well that when the incentives are gone for mooching and the criminals are being deported hardcore very few would be left that don't leave or are deported. The middle ground sounding words that in reality are much harsher as the liberals don't accept the truth that most are moochers and/or criminals while talking to those wanting to end all benefits to illegals and start some serious deporting.

I want him as a Republican. He may be rough around the edges and probably doesn't know the details of many of the issues but he will smooth out and he will learn the details better than anyone else, because he cares about our country and citizens. He has plenty of common sense, intelligence and from what I know from his statements over the past 30 to 40 years, an unwavering loyalty to the American People. As you know, in my book at least, those are the three top qualifiers for what we need in the next President of the United States. And Trump has them all.

Plus his latest statement that he finds it impractical to deport all illegal aliens and would work towards a path for ONLY those who work hard and don't mooch the system and those who do and also are criminals will be deported for sure.

BOOM! There's the bomb. Why isn't anyone raising can about this. His words prove beyond a shadow of doubt that he would grant amnesty to illegal immigrants. That comment alone should make Trump a non-starter for every single member of ALIPAC.

Isn't that the same plan Obama keeps talking about? Keep the non-felons and deport the criminals.

I want him as a Republican. He may be rough around the edges and probably doesn't know the details of many of the issues but he will smooth out and he will learn the details better than anyone else, because he cares about our country and citizens. He has plenty of common sense, intelligence and from what I know from his statements over the past 30 to 40 years, an unwavering loyalty to the American People. As you know, in my book at least, those are the three top qualifiers for what we need in the next President of the United States. And Trump has them all.

I want him as a Republican. He may be rough around the edges and probably doesn't know the details of many of the issues but he will smooth out and he will learn the details better than anyone else, because he cares about our country and citizens. He has plenty of common sense, intelligence and from what I know from his statements over the past 30 to 40 years, an unwavering loyalty to the American People. As you know, in my book at least, those are the three top qualifiers for what we need in the next President of the United States. And Trump has them all.

JUDY
VERY WELL SAID WHAT I LIKE ABOUT TRUMP HE SAID HE LOVE OUR SERVICE MEN & LADY WHEN THEY COME HOME THEY SHOULD GET 1 MILLION DOLLAR EACH & THAT WHAT I LIKE ABOUT HIM . THEY COME HOME WITH NO LEG'S OR ARM . NO JOB'S& THEY HAVE FAMILY .ALSO .NO RESPECT AT ALL
AGAIN GOOD POST